Any TV watcher has probably seen slick ads touting HP’s stunningly attractive Spectre laptop. Now a separate company, HP’s mojo is coming back, as the latest statistics from research firms IDC and Gartner show with HP nearly overtaking Lenovo for the world’s top seller claim.

Here’s a video look at Spectre (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcImHWNOjrU) for those who haven’t seen the ad. This is one slick, thin, powerful machine. It’s an example of why HP is improving sales.

But are Spectre and a continuing rollout of new products going to be enough to vault HP past Lenovo as No. 1 – a position Lenovo has held for three years? (HP was long an industry leader.)

Mikako Kitagawa at Gartner isn’t so sure.

At the same time, it’s too early to say Lenovo is in any trouble even as sales continue to decline. It’s No. 2 executive says Lenovo remains confident and is pleased with growing strength in the U.S. In fact, don’t discount sales through business partners in the States. as a boost, the analyst told WRAL TechWire.

Gartner, by the way, showed Lenovo with a larger lead than IDC in the reports published Tuesday. IDC has Lenovo just over 100,000 ahead.

Here’s our Q&A:

  • HP is gaining ground on Lenovo, which sees drop in sales. Is HP gaining momentum with new products and freedom to be more aggressive now that it’s no longer part of the “old” HP?

It is too early to conclude HP’s success as they only recorded two consecutive quarters of shipment growth.

We should wait at least next two quarters to evaluate new HP (HPI)’s success.

  • How can Lenovo get sales going again in this tough market? What has gone wrong? They keep introducing new products but …

Lenovo is doing ok relative to the overall market condition.

Lenovo’s shipment decline was less steep compared to overall average. But 2 major competitors, HPI and Dell, are doing better than Lenovo for 2 quarters in row.

  • In the US, however, Lenovo is gaining strength. Why stronger here than elsewhere? Lenovo has made consumers a big target in the US with Best Buy, others. Is consumer strategy working?

At this early stage of the research, I suspect that Lenovo had increased the presence in the consumer market. Toshiba’s exit from U.S. consumer market (not completely) creates more room for other vendors to expand their share.

Dell is not so keen to consumer space although they keeps good position in the consumer.

HP has already established the position.

While [business] channel wants to have the variety of vendor choices, Lenovo is probably the good one for them to work with, especially for hybrid. Lenovo has good product line for 2-1s notebooks (or hybrid notebooks).

  • There’s lots of talk Lenovo might buy Fujitsu. Do you see Lenovo benefiting from a buy of Fujitsu and if so what would the benefit(s) be beyond adding some sales? 

Yes we are aware of the story but we have not confirmed it yet. One benefit would be to take more share in Japan as Fujitsu is a top vendor.

We do not have Fujitsu shipments for 3Q16 yet.